


Soft Spot

by Lion_owl



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Episode: s07e06 Phantasms, Established Relationship, For an exchange, Gen, M/M, but the majority of the ep is not relevant to this fic, fic & fanart, my first ever piece of fanart, set during the events of that episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 16:10:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11234526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lion_owl/pseuds/Lion_owl
Summary: When Worf has to look after Spot as a favour to Data, he finds himself unexpectedly bonding with the cat.





	Soft Spot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [katiemariie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/katiemariie/gifts).



> [this scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhOqncpIEwc) served as the basis for this fic
> 
> thank you to [weyounsburger](itsweyounsburgernow.tumblr.com) for reassuring me when i was doubting myself over the art and to [alifeofabundance](http://alifeofabundance.tumblr.com/) for coming up with the title, because i was at a loss
> 
> for katiemariie as part of the trek rarepair swap round 10 - sorry it's so late!

 

“Sometimes a cake is just a cake,” Deanna says.

Data hums his agreement and cuts a slice each for them. “Did you make this?” he asks.

“Only if you count the thirty minutes I spent programming the replicator,” she smiles, and takes a bite. “mmm, it’s delicious.”

He’s about to take a bite of his own piece when the door chime rings.

“Enter,” he calls, and the door slides open to reveal Worf standing on the threshold. “Come in,”

“Counsellor,” Worf nods to Deanna. “Data,”

“Hello Worf,” she greets him. “Would you like some cake?”

He looks down at the cake and quickly covers and expression of distaste, but not quickly enough for Data to miss it.

“No thank you,” Worf says. “I just came by to see Data and…” he trails off and glances at his feet.

 

≈

 

His first thought as he walks out of Data’s quarters, holding the cat at arm’s length, is that this is a mistake. He should go straight to LaForge, and ask him to look after Spot instead. He has no doubt that Data wouldn't have a problem with that, and that LaForge would be happy to do it.

But something compels him to keep walking to his own quarters anyway.

Data is his partner, and he can’t go on avoiding the cat forever, even if she does make him uncomfortable. Perhaps he could ask Doctor Crusher for something that would alleviate the sneezing.

Her legs are kicking about, and she yowls loudly, discomfort clear in the sound of her voice.

“What do you want?” he asks as one of her back paws comes to rest on his stomach again. He moves her away and she yowls again.

“You need to support her rear end,” a voice says, and Worf turns around to see Guinan standing behind him. He hadn’t hear her approach. “Here, let me show you.” Guinan holds her hand out, and Worf is all too happy to pass the cat over to her. She crooks her arm, allowing Spot to sit in her elbow, and crosses her arm across the cat’s body, Spot’s front paws resting on Guinan’s shoulder. “Having her rear end dangling freely was hurting her,” Guinan explains, as Spot rubs her nose on her cheek, purring happily.

Worf sneezes, noting how closely the cat is held to Guinan. “Perhaps you could carry her back to my quarters for me?” he asks.

“Sure,” Guinan grinned, stroking Spot behind the ear, who pushed her head back and purred even louder. “I’d be happy to, wouldn’t I, Spot?”

Spot simply maiows.

When they get to his quarters, he orders a feline supplement from the replicator, and Guinan lowers Spot to allow her to jump down and run to the bowl.

“Thank you,” Worf says. “would you like anything to eat or drink?”

“No thanks,” Guinan says. “I was actually just on my way to meet Laren for a drink.”

 

~

 

He is woken up by pressure on his chest, and opens his eyes to see Spot standing on him, pressing her front paws down alternately, and when she looks at him she maiows, and he has to admit there is definitely something about her that he finds… endearing.

“You cannot sleep here,” he tells her though, sitting up and gently pushing her off his bed. She jumps up again, and makes a small trilling sound that he finds difficult to describe properly. He gently encourages her down again and she walks back into the living area. He closes the door and gets back into bed.

 

~

 

When he wakes up the next morning, he finds Alexander sitting cross-legged on the floor in the living area, with Spot curled up on his feet.

“I like the cat, father,” Alexander says. “Can we keep her?”

“No. Worf says. “She lives with commander Data.”

“Can we get a different cat then?” his son asks, pouting in that oh-so-Human manner.

“Unlikely,” Worf says, going to the replicator. “Now get ready for school. Feline supplement twenty-five and a glass of prune juice.” Spot runs over to him as his order materialises, winding herself around his ankles.

“She likes you,” Alexander comments. “it would be bad if she hated you, if she’s Data’s cat.”

“She is not as bad as I expected her to be.” Worf concedes.

“That’s not much, but it’s a start,” Alexander says. It’s not a way a Klingon would speak to their parent, but there is so much Humanity in Alexander, so Worf lets it slide.

“Go to school,” he tells him. “I will see you this evening.”

“Yes, father.” Alexander picks up his PADD and heads out of their quarters, leaving Worf alone with Spot.

He sits down on the sofa and takes a sip of his prune juice and Spot jumps up onto his knee, knocking the bottom of the glass with her head and causing some of the drink to spill. Biting his tongue, he sighs and places the glass on the table. He’s about to get up to change into a clean uniform, but she maiows at him, and he can’t help but give her a pat on the head. She purrs, and snuggles into him. He sneezes, but lets her remain anyway. He picks up his drink again in one hand, letting the other hand rest on her back, and the two of them sit like that for a while, before Worf has to go on duty.

 

~

He is in the turbolift on his way home from duty shift when his comm badge chirrups.

“Data to Worf.”

“Worf here.”

“Alexander has brought Spot back, thank you for looking after her.” Data says. “We are rid of the parasites, and I do not believe I am in any danger of having another waking dream.”

“That is good,” Worf responds.

“Will you come by later?” Data asks.

 

≈

 

“Would you like some cake?” Troi asks, and Worf looks at the table to see a cake depicting the a likeness of Data. He is unsure how he feels about this, and quickly covers up an expression of distaste. It seems a little… strange… to say the least, but he’s sure the counsellor has a good reason for it.

“No thank you,” Worf says. “I just came by to see Data and…” he trails off and glances at his feet.

“Shall I leave you two be?” Troi asks, already on her feet. “You must have a lot to talk about.”

“Thank you, counsellor.”

She leaves, and Worf sits down in her vacated seat. Spot jumps onto his knee, and he doesn’t sneeze.

“I visited sickbay and asked for something to counteract my cat allergy.” He tells Data. “I think Alexander’s Human side prevents him from suffering the effects furry animals have on Klingons.”

There is silence. “I apologise for any inconvenience I caused you, having to look after her.” Data says.

“It is… fine,” Worf admits, and she starts purring again. “I like her.”

A smile lights up Data’s face. “That is pleasing to hear,” he says, and Spot maiows in agreement.

**Author's Note:**

> tng uses both she/her and he/his pronouns for Spot and i decided to use she/her... i don't think it matters, but eh


End file.
